FPSF: Mercury stage a big draw due to local acts

One of festival’s best improvements was the Mercury Stage, which rested under the matrix of freeway ramps by downtown. Nestled at the bottom of a small hill, the stage was a big draw all day largely due to local hip-hop acts and the fans who chanted along with every refrain. The bowl-shaped area held a deceptively large number of fans and offered plenty of nearby shade for those wanting to hear the music without needing to see the performers.

Paul Wall pulled a huge crowd early and played to it with “Houston.”

A few hours later Devin the Dude (an FPSF favorite) and his crew blew a smoke cloud over the stage and ran through a crowd favorite with “Lacville ’79.”